Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to wound care articles and, more particularly, to wound care gloves, anklets, knee and elbow supports, masks, skullcaps, finger cots, and the like, comprising moisture-wicking and/or antimicrobial elements. Methods of fabricating the articles are also disclosed.
Description of the Related Art
Gloves, anklets, finger cots, knee and elbow supports, masks, skullcaps, and like articles are used to protect the hands, face, scalp, wrists, knees, and other joints of users. These articles have also found utility in the medical industry for wound care following cuts, abrasions, and chemical-, heat- and flame-caused burns. However, such injuries are often difficult to dress because joints move and, therefore, any dressing needs to accommodate this movement while remaining in intimate contact thereto. Furthermore, such articles can be used at all stages of care, for example, while in intensive care, emergency rooms, and outpatient and hospice care. Moreover, burn treatment often requires multiple changes of dressings.
Many such articles have synthetic or natural polymeric coatings to provide substantially impervious properties. Although impervious properties promote protection against germs, viruses, and the like, these articles also trap moisture and, in particular, trap perspiration inside the article. Moreover, during, for example, burn treatment, skin secretes moisture and exudates. Gloves and other wound care articles that trap moisture feel clammy and uncomfortable to the user and allow a septic, unhygienic environment to form in which microbes prosper. In addition, many wearable articles are rigid, stiff fabrics and have seams, imparting even additional stiffness, leading to stress and irritation during donning, usage, and doffing. Furthermore, skin sticks to dressings and other wearable articles, such as gloves, anklets, finger cots, and the like, during healing, which occurs particularly at joints, such as the knee, knuckles, ankles, elbow, and other areas where the article most tightly contacts a user's skin, which poses problems in removing dressings for viewing wounds or replacing the wound dressing as is often required.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for anti-microbial articles that manage moisture and perspiration, are flexible for a tight and comfortable fit during mobility, don and doff easily, can optionally be used with substantially cylindrical compression sleeves, and promote healing by allowing intimate contact of the article having the antimicrobial with the skin of the wearer without sticking to or abrading the skin/wound.